A Lesson in Vampires and Mates
by Mosquito
Summary: Part 11 in the For Better or For Worse Series. Willow's out of the hospital and there's work to be done on the mating front. But things aren't as easy as it seems.


Series: For Better or For Worse

Title: A Lesson in Vampires and Mating

Author: Mosquito

Date: 11/05/2014

Disclaimer: Joss Wedon owns everything except Ronan and Casey.

Category: Romance/Angst

Rating: T

Summary: Willow's out of the hospital and there's work to be done on the mating front. But things aren't as easy as it seems.

Note: There's no songs in this one. Originally it was part of a story that was part 11, but I've broken it up cause it was too long. Now this is it's own chapter and the rest has been moved to the second part of the previous one.

Willow smiled as she was pushed out the hospital in the required wheelchair.

"So, Wills, happy to be sprung loose?" Xander asked her as he pushed her to the car.

"You have no idea. I missed you guys so much I'm glad it's over for now."

"For now? What's going on? This guy Roddick, is gonna take you again?"

"Well, I'll be having lessons on Saturday from now on, or that's what he said."

"Why? You explained that he took you to teach you,, but you still haven't explained why he's doing it."

"There's an apocalypse coming, Xan."

"Yeah, well, isn't there always?"

"This one is the end. We either win or we all loose. That's the kind of apocalypse. It isn't going to be enough to have a slayer and three vampires. We're going to need more."

"How much more?"

"I don't know."

Xander helped get her into the car and then moved to slip into the driver's seat and pulling out of the space. "So, what are your plans for the coming weeks?"

"I need to go back to England as soon as possible. I've already missed about a week's worth of class. I need to catch up on what I've missed."

Xander kept quiet. "When will you leave?"

"In a week or so. We'll see how I'm faring. So, you'll have to spend lots of time with me, okay?"

"You bet!" Xander looked over with a smile. "At least we'll be able to celebrate my birthday together."

"I completely forgot, you'll be nineteen this-"

"Friday."

"That's only two days away!" She panicked. Then she smiled, "you're finally catching up with the rest of us."

"Catching up? Wills you're the only one I have to catch up with. Casey's a year younger, Ronan's 36, Spike's in his hundred and twenties, Angel's about two-thirty, and Anya's more than a thousand years old.!"

"Yeah, you like your women mature," she joked, "almost mummified."

"Hey! I thought we weren't going to bring that up anymore."

"I'm sorry, Xan," she said in a baby-voice, "I couldn't help myself."

"Yeah, sure." He said with a smirk and pulled into the driveway of her house. She looked up at it and for the first time in years she had a feeling that she'd thought the house lacked. It felt like it was home. While growing up, the house had been a symbol for loneliness and when Ronan had moved in that had become less so. Yet, it wasn't until Casey and Spike had come that it had become more than a halfway house to her- somewhere she could rest her head for the night.

The door opened and Casey ran out. She came over to Willow's side of the car and helped her out. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Willow. I'm so glad you're back. Spike's been scaring the daylights out of me. Oh, Willow I missed you so much!"

Willow hugged her cousin and then with her and Xander's help started walking towards the house Just as she opened the door, she saw Anya and Ronan waiting, she gave them a hug and moved in to find Spike, but he wasn't there. A little disappointed she silently threw Ronan a questioning look. He just smiled and said he'd be back soon.

At that moment Willow heard Spike through the bond, 'don't worry, luv. I'm in the house, just give me a moment.'

'Okay," she replied, her thoughts lifted and sitting down on the couch she looked at everyone.

"Happy to be home, Wills?" Ronan asked.

"You have no idea, Ro."

"Well, you probably can't imagine how glad we are you're about," Anya said, "Spike was driving us all mad! He'd almost gotten everyone to quit the club. I think he was missing the orgasms."

With a questioning look the turned to her best friend.

"Yeah," Xander explained, "he was in a really dark place. If it wasn't for Angel-" he quickly trailed off. He wasn't sure if Willow was supposed to know.

"Angel was here?" She said surprised.

"He left last night." Ronan explained the Vampire's absence.

Willow nodded. "What did he do."

No one said anything. They all looked about as it telling would be highly improper.

"Oh, the rest of you make no sense." Anya said and them proceeded to tell Willow just Angel had done.

Willow was horrified. That Angel would do that to Spike. No wonder he was limping wen she first saw him. He was probably still healing from what his grandsire had done. Anger fueled through her.

'Luv, you okay?'

'We've got to talk, Spike." Her tone was no nonsense.

'Why, what's wrong?'

'Anya just told me about Angel.'

All of a sudden she heard Spike come down the stairs. "Anya!" His voice carried with anger.

Xander quickly stood up. "Um, Willow, I think we're gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow. He grabbed his girlfriend's hand and rushed them out the door before Spike could get there.

"Where's that sodding Demon Girl? I'm going to kill her."

"No." Willow said. "I'm glad she told me."

"What?!" Spike blew up. "Well it wasn't for her to tell, was it? If I wanted you to know I would tell you myself."

"But you didn't, did you? And you weren't going to either." She accused him.

He looked away and as soon as he did she knew that she was right.

Looking over to the other couch to where Casey and Ronan had been sitting, she noticed that the two of them had left as well. She sighed and looked at Spike who looked defeated to the floor. "Spike, I'm too tired to fight. Will you help me to the bedroom, please?"

"Course, luv." Spike said, then leaning over her, picked her up in her arms and carried her up the stairs. Normally she would have asked him to put her down, but leaving the hospital and arguing with Spike had taken it's toll. She probably couldn't have walked even if she wanted to.

Closing her eyes she leaned back against him and took a deep breath. A smell purely Spike came back to her. She felt Spike place her on the bed and pull back.

"Stay," she said.

"Alright." He lay down behind her and put is arms around her allowing her to snuggle herself into his arms.

"Were you really not going to tell me?"

"I would have eventually."

She nodded and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Spike walked around the cave. 'Where the bloomin' hell am I?' A little further up he saw something red. As he got closer he realized it was Willow.<p>

She turned around and saw him, a smile lighting her face. "Spike!"

"Red," he smiled back.

"I want you to meet Roddick." She said and stepped aside to let Spike greet him.

"'lo, mate."

"Vampire, you are the entrusted mate of the witch?"

"I am."

"I see that you have not claimed her, though."

"That's between me and Red. What's it to you?"

"I'm her guide. If she is to fight the evil that is to come, I must help her. She has gone as far as possible on her own, though."

"What now, Roddick?" Willow wondered.

"You must learn to take energy from your mate, but we cannot go further until you have mated. Until then we must wait."

Spike looked over at Willow who seemed to be thinking on it. "The reason I do not wish to make with Willow is that he looks too young. I thought perhaps in a year or two I might mate with her. It would be easier for her to move around in society that way."

"It would be. However, as she will not be aging anymore, that is no longer relevant."

"I- I won't age anymore?" He heard Willow's shaky voice.

"No, you are technically no longer mortal, therefore have stopped aging."

Spike sighed. This was nothing he could have predicted and yet he felt claustrophobic all of a sudden. Do you realize how difficult it will be for her because she may look underage?"

"If her looks are all you are concerned about, that is easily altered. I taught you how to create a glamour, so that you can look like someone else, Willow. You can also glamour yourself to look older."

Spike watched Willow listen attentively. "But with the glamours I had to create the image in my mind in order to cast it, but I don't know what I'll look like in the future."

"Yes, this works a little differently," Roddick answered. "First you concentrate on a year. Then on a change in years, like a calendar. Imagine months flowing by and say: _Meveille. _He preformed it himself and changed automatically into an old man. His voice had change a little too and his hair had quickly grew to an abnormal length. "Because I'm doing this in your dreamscape, I can remove the glamour easily. However, you need to be careful in real life. This glamour is not easy to remove. One you change yourself you may have a hard time taking it back." Willow nodded in understanding. "Well, there's noting we can do until you mate. We'll meet next week after the ceremony."

"Alright." Willow turned to Spike, "Can we also have a wiccan ceremony?"

"Sure." Spike said. All his plans had been turned topsy-turvy and he felt himself begin to panic. It wasn't that he didn't want to mate with Willow, it was just that it was supposed to happen on his timetable and rushing felt a little too forceful for him. It was as if his head was pleading both sides at once. The one, rational as always stated that he was going to mate with her anyway and whether it was now or in five years didn't matter. This side seemed to be winning slightly. However, on the other hand, his mind was rebelling, saying that by mating with her it would be a finality to his 'lone-wolf' lifestyle. Even though he had been with Dru for years, she'd always needed him, fueling his alpha-male instincts. Willow was, however, more his equal, or growing to be. She'd have equal power over him as he had over her. After moments of bickering back and forth, the rational part won out. With a feeling of clarity came ease and peace knowing that he truly wanted this and nothing would stop him from having her.

"There's nothing more too do. I will contact you again after the mating ritual has been preformed." Roddick said and with a wive of his hand the scenery changed and found them in what Spike remembered Venice to be. They spent the rest of their sleep with Spike taking Willow in a gondola to enjoy the sun and the sights.

* * *

><p>The next morning Willow began her research in the vampire mating ritual. However, by the end of the day she was no closer to finding an answer to the problem than when she'd started. There were hundreds of mating rituals it seemed for demons. Vampires didn't have one, they had over two hundred different types. Of these types there were about forty that dealt with mortal beings and twenty-five that were meant for the mating with humans. She must have sent her frustration through the link, because Spike walked in asking her what was wrong.<p>

Explaining her problem she asked Spike to take a look at what she'd found.

Spike glanced at the computer and then pulled up a chair next to her. "Luv, you probably don't know this, but there are multiple types of vampires."

Willow's mouth flew open. "What?! You mean you don't all go _poof_?"

"No, only Angel goes Poof," he said with a smirk. "But no, not all vampires turn to dust."

"How come I've never heard of this?" Willow asked. Her brain was starting to compute the information and began forming questions by the second. "What types were they? Were they all dangerous? How come we've never heard of them, much less run into them? What kind are you?"

"Luv, luv, stop. Slow down. I can't answer them that fast. First of all, I don't know how many kinds there are- I'm not even sure anyone does- but this is what I know: I'm part of a type called _The Changelings. _We've changed from mortal humans to immortals able to die with wood piercing the heart, decapitation, fire, and holy water. We drink blood and are allergic to sunlight. Within _The_ _Changelings_ there are multiple clans The oldest are _The __Podmenysh__. _They originated from Eastern Europe. Dracula's line.

"You mean he really exists?"

"Unfortunately. I've never met the git myself, but Angelus found him dull and condescending. Anyway, then you get the Arelius line, After which, you have the ubermensch- the Germans that are ugly as hell. They can't change back from their demon faces for long. Finally you have _L'etoile_. They're located mostly in french speaking countries, originating out of France- That's _The Changelings_.

"Then you get _The Luminious_. They're a group of vampires that seem to have evolved, somehow, to he able to walk in the light They're a select group and rarely ever take or create a _Changeling. _They bare their off-spring."

"They go through pregnancy?"

"Yup, they're fertile."

"Wow."

"Yeah. They also live under strict laws and have their own governing body. Failure to comply results in death. From what I understand, they have bounty hunters who remove such individuals. They die the same way that we do, though. The reason that you've never heard of the, is because their not a threat to humans. Those that kill are killed and the deaths are blamed on us."

"How do they feed then?"

"They've been bagging it for a long time."

"Oh."

Spike sat back in the chair and continued."There are a few families but I don't know or remember what they are."

"What else is there?"

"_The Daywalkers_. You'd never know them, they can even sustain themselves partially by food. They can generate blood that way. I don't even recognize them, not unless they're very old. When they're attacked by changelings they die, but are revived after a certain amount of time. I know of one Asian type, from Malaysia, that looks like crocodiles during the day and change at night. I don't remember what they're called though. Also, Australia has a time that only eats fruit, but needs blood sporadically and Japan has a type that lives on the souls of people. Angelus once told me that they're entirely made of women. And are mortal for the most part.

"But there's one type called _The Elders_. They're food eaters, and flesh stealers. They feed off of the flesh of certain species, taking over the body until it can't sustain it anymore. And they're true immortal. They can't die in any of the conventional ways that the rest can."

"Anything else?"

"Like I said, I don't remember anything else."

"Okay," Willow said allowing everything to soak in, "what does that mean for us?"

"This means that we have to call Angel and find out what he knows about how the Arelius line mates," he said leaning over and pushing the speaker phone on automatically dialing his sire's number.

On the second Ring Angel picked up. His mood made Spike grin. "Childe, this had better be good."

"Hi, Angel," Willow greeted. Spike choked trying not to laugh as his sure began apologizing profusely in an effort to bring the edge off what he had said. But Willow continued, "actually, Spike's here. We needed to talk to you."

"'ello, Peaches."

"Spike, I swear, next time I see you, you had better be able to run. Really fast."

"Sorry mate, but Red and me got a problem that we thought you might solve for us. See, Red here's agreed to be my mate and we need to know what the ceremony of the Clan Arelius is like."

The line went dead.

"He hung-up on us!" Willow said shocked.

Spike looked at the phone as if it had grown limbs in front of him. He picked up the phone and dialled the number, placing it to his ear. On the second ring Angel picked up again.

"I swear Spike that you prank call well. I know you're brain damaged, but that you manage to pull Willow in with you? Willow mating with you, did you actually think I'd fall for that? She's has more sense than that."

"Than what?!" Spike was angry as hell.

"Than to bond herself to a demon such as yourself."

"You know what? Sod off, Peaches. I shouldn't have called. We'll find the information elsewhere. Ronan probably knows, anyway." Slamming down the phone he mumbled, "prank call, wanker bollocks."

When he looked up at Willow he noticed a curious look. "No help, luv. No worries though, we'll find out, alright?"

"Alright." He noticed she sounded down.

Restless he stood up and said: "How about we go to the club? If we leave now, we'll be there in time to get you something for dinner before the kitchen closes."

"Okay."

Spike held out his hand to her and pulled her up for a kiss. "I love you, Willow. We'll figure it out. Even if I have to skin Peaches in order for him to tell me."

Heading out the door the phone began to ring. Spike felt Willow turn back, but pulled her with him. "Let it ring," he said, "Peaches can just go fuck himself for all I care."

End

(TBC in Part 12: Oops... A Rabbit!)


End file.
